April 5, 2011
I recently had the pleasure to hang out with Sarah & Nate and take some pictures of them in preparation for their upcoming wedding. I can’t tell you how easy they were to photograph. They were just so at ease with each other (& with me for that matter). It’s pretty obvious from the photos that they just look at each other in a special way. That’s not something a photographer can coach. Sometimes it’s just better to get out of the way & let the magic happen.
By the way, Sarah‘s an amazing hair stylist & make up artist. You should absolutely get ahold of her for your hair & make up needs.
These last photos are a little special. They represent the first time shooting a client on film. I think it’s something I’m really going to enjoy doing from time to time. They were shot with a Hasselblad 503cm (thanks Rick!) & Kodak c-41 film with either a 50mm f/4 or 100mm f/3.5 lens. I do love the square format the Hassie produces for portraits as well as some personal art projects I hope to find time for. Thanks to the great folks at R&R Custom Color for processing & scanning the film.
January 22, 2011
Whereas the previous post of favorite moments involved a lot of luck, the portraits usually come about by more of a process. There’s more of an element of control in the portraits. Sometimes there’s a little posing. Sometimes there’s a flash or light added somewhere. Sometimes it’s just a matter of seeing the light & using the surroundings to as best as possible.
One of my favorite things about photographing real couples is that it takes much less direction from me than it would were it a couple of models on a set. The emotions are real, maybe amplified for the camera, but definitely real. I love that.
For future brides, the biggest thing you can do to make sure you get wedding day portraits you’ll love is set aside the time for them on your day. The photos in this set range from spur of the moment to shots that took a half hour to get right. In every shot, there’s some element of time playing on my mind. There’s a little more of me in these shots than in the documentary photos from a wedding. I love that. I love working with couples that allow me to pursue my vision. I think it’s a pretty good trade since they end up with some great photos—if I do say so myself.
As an aside, all of these photos (except for the B & W photo of the couple by the water with the bird flying over) were taken on wedding day. Also, like all of my other photos, there’s no photoshop trickery in these shots.
Now, for a few of my favorite wedding party photos…
November 20, 2010
**For the best viewing experience, open up the first photo & use the left & right arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the photos.**
The day started at a crossroads. Joanna’s one of a kind, beautiful gown was designed & made by her & a friend who is a fashion designer. As you can see in the photos, it was literally made for her. I was awestruck by it. It’s a piece of art that happens to be wearable.
As soon as Joanna was ready & we were set to head to Riverfront Park where Andrew would see her for the first time, it started to rain. My mind began to reel as I tried to think of locations where the weather wouldn’t be a hindrance for the emotional moment. Before I could come up with a satisfactory suggestion in my mind, Joanna declared that we should just go on as planned to the wet park. I had two simultaneous thoughts. First, “That’s a lot of pressure. If she’s willing to sacrifice the bottom of her gown for pictures, they’d better be awesome.” and, “This is one awesome bride, she wants a trash the dress session before the wedding.” Thinking back, Joanna’s decision to go ahead with the pictures set the tone for an amazing day, which I don’t think could ever be recreated (it also helps to be lucky. I just happened to have a red umbrella in my car. 
)
Sometimes though, it’s a good idea to let the weather dictate some things. The wedding had been planned for a field near the bride’s house, but since it was on a wetlands, the small amount of rain during the days leading up to the wedding turned it in to a fishless lake. Instead, the ceremony, which was performed by the bride’s father, was held at a beautiful church on the South Hill. After that we headed downtown to the character-filled Barrister Winery for the reception.
I’m so lucky to be able to do what I do. In taking pictures, I’m able to meet some of the most tremendous people. Joanna, Andrew, & each of their families are nothing short of tremendous.
Thanks guys!
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